Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a web infeed device with decentrally arranged connection stations, in particular, for infeeding material webs into web-processing rotary printing machines.
The published German Patent Document DE 198 02 194 A1 is concerned with a web infeed device for rotary printing machines. This device has a flexible finite infeed element, the length of which is of a somewhat greater dimension than the spacing between two adjacent driving elements. A plurality of the latter are provided for moving the infeed element in guides and switches along the infeed path for the material web to be introduced, sensors being provided along the infeed path for switching on the respectively required driving element, and for simultaneously switching off the driving element that is no longer required. The switch-on and switch-off elements are actuated by the infeed element running past. The infeed element is provided with a coating for reducing the friction in a guide.
The published German Patent Document DE 198 16 510 A1 is likewise concerned with a web infeed device for rotary printing machines. This device includes a flexible finite threading element which introduces a material web along a web path through the components of a rotary printing machine. The infeed element or elements accepting or taking up the front end of a material web have a transport device assigned thereto which passes the components of a respective rotary printing machine, such as, for example, printing units, dryers and chill-roller sections.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,742 shows a web threading device, in particular, for introducing a web into a rotary printing machine. In order to prevent teeth from impinging on one another in the case of a meshing worm-wheel gear, a conveying gearwheel is accepted or taken up in a movable bearing on a web infeed system for a rotary printing machine. The gearwheel is subjected to a force acting counter to the direction of movement of the infeed element and is set opposite to the conveying direction of the web infeed element. The improvement known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,742 is supposed to provide a web infeed station which is virtually free of wear and is supposed to make it possible for a worm-wheel gear to mesh with a transport gearwheel without excessive wear phenomena.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,830 shows a web infeed device for a rotary printing machine. A web infeed device for a rotary printing machine used for newsprint includes a number of guide rails which are connected to one another and are arranged along a multiplicity of web paths. An infeed element is embedded in a guide rail and can be guided along the guide rails along predetermined conveying paths for the material webs. A lever is connected at one end thereof to the web infeed element, and at the other end thereof, has a snap fastener, in order to accept or take up a paper take-up adapter which takes up the leading end of a material web stored on a roll in a web splicer of the rotary printing machine. The guide member is conveyed along the guide rails by propelled and driven wheels which are accepted or taken up along the conveying rails at uniform spaced distances from one another. The guide element has a length, which is of somewhat greater dimension than the spaced distance between adjacent guide rollers.
The devices resulting from the improvements in the state of the prior art referred to hereinbefore have the disadvantage that an infeed element serving for introducing a torn material web into components of a rotary printing machine must be moved from the initial position thereof up to the respective position at which the web tear has occurred. This involves time and effort.
It is accordingly an object of the invention, in light of the improvements heretofore known from the prior art, to reconnect a material web to a web infeed element simply and quickly, so that as rapid an introduction as possible into the components of a rotary printing machine can occur and, as a result of this, a rapid resumption of production on the rotary printing machine can take place.
With the foregoing and other objects in view, there is provided, in accordance with one aspect of the invention, a device for infeeding a material web into a rotary printing machine, comprising an infeed element for receiving a material web start, the infeed element being introducible onto an introduction path extending at least approximately parallel to a path of the material web in the rotary printing machine, and suspension stations at which the material web is connectable to the infeed element, the suspension stations being assigned to respective components of the rotary printing machine along the path of the material web through the rotary printing machine.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the infeed element is formed of a movable part, and a suspension segment mounted respectively on one of the suspension stations.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the suspension stations are arranged below the path of the material web through the rotary printing machine.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the device includes holding devices for the suspension segments provided on the suspension stations.
In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the holding devices are formed as magnets.
In accordance with a first alternative feature of the invention, the holding devices are formed as suction strips subjectible to a vacuum.
In accordance with a second alternative feature of the invention, the holding devices are formed as adhesive stations.
In accordance with a third alternative feature of the invention, the holding devices are formed as hook-shaped holders.
In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, the suspension segments are mountable stationarily on the holding devices.
In accordance with yet a further feature of the invention, the suspension stations include a cutting device movable transversely to the material web in a cutting gap.
In accordance with yet an added feature of the invention, the movable part of the infeed element is mounted in a parking position.
In accordance with yet an additional feature of the invention, the suspension segment mounted, respectively, on the suspension station is suspended from the movable part which is movable in the guide.
In accordance with still another feature of the invention, the movable part of the suspension element is equipped with stop faces.
In accordance with still a further feature of the invention, the movable part of the suspension element is formed of a flat and flexible metal profile.
In accordance with still an added feature of the invention, orifices conducive to the deformability of the movable part of the infeed element are formed in the movable part.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a material web-infeed device for a web-processing rotary printing machine, comprising an infeed element for receiving a material web start, the infeed element being introducible onto a guide path extending at least approximately parallel to a path of the material web in the rotary printing machine, and suspension stations at which the material web is connectable to the infeed element, the suspension stations being assigned to respective components of the rotary printing machine along the path of the material web through the rotary printing machine.
In accordance with a concomitant aspect of the invention, there is provided a web-processing rotary printing machine, comprising a guide path for an infeed element receiving a start of a material web, the guide path extending at least approximately parallel to a web path of the material web, and suspension stations at which the material web is connectable to the infeed element, the suspension elements being assigned to components of the rotary printing machine along the path of the material web through the rotary printing machine.
The advantages afforded by the improvement according to the invention are to be seen, above all, in that, due to the decentral arrangement of the suspension stations for an infeed element which is formed of a movable part and a plurality of stationary parts, a suspension of a material web torn during operation can take place directly at the location at which the web tear has occurred. Thus, suspension devices for introducing a material web can be provided along the web conveying path, respectively, via the components of a rotary printing machine, such as, for example, a web splicer, a web infeed unit, printing units, a web catching device, a dryer and a chill-roller section, while the movable part of the web infeed device, the movable part not being required during normal operation, can be moved into a parking position, wherein the operation of the rotary printing machine is not impaired and, on the other hand, a rapid movement of the movable part of the web infeed device can take place at the location at which a reintroduction of the material web into the components of the rotary printing machine has become necessary.
According to an advantageous development of the idea upon which the invention is based, the web infeed element is formed of a movable part and of suspension segments, respectively, mounted on the suspension stations. The movable part can be moved into a parking position when the web infeed device is in the active state, while the suspension segments cooperating, respectively, with the movable part can be kept stationary on the suspension stations, so that these segments are ready immediately, as required.
To fix the material web portions which have remained in the components of the rotary printing machine, respectively, holding devices for the material web portions are provided on the suspension stations. The holding devices may be constructed, for example, as magnets or as suction strips subjectible to a vacuum, and may extend transversely to the web running or travel direction over the suspension stations at the components, such as a web splicer, printing units, a web catching device, dryers and chill-roller sections of the rotary system. In addition to having the holding device at the suspension stations formed as magnets or as suction strips subjected to a vacuum, the suspension stations may also be formed as adhesive stations or as hook-shaped holders for the material web portions.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the concept upon which the invention is based, the suspension stations are mounted, respectively, below the web path of the material web through the components of the rotary system. The suspension stations have cutting gaps which extend in a direction transverse to the material web and by which cutting devices moving, respectively, through the material web are received. Thus, new straight-cut web starts of the material web to be reintroduced can be produced, which can be connected in a simple manner to the web infeed segment suspended stationarily on the suspension station. The movable part of the suspension element is provided with stop faces, because the movable part is formed as a flat, flexible and easily deformable structural part. By providing stop faces on the flat movable part of the web infeed device, a risk of injury to the pressmen is, as much as possible, ruled out. In order to ensure optimum flexibility of the movable part of the web infeed device, the flat movable part is pierced with a multiplicity of orifices in the form of bores which allow easy deformability of the movable part and, together therewith, easy adaptability to the deflection points of the web infeed path for introducing the material web into the rotary printing machine.
The web infeed device, proposed according to the invention, for web-processing rotary printing machines can be used preferably on those rotary printing machines which process material webs on both sides or on one side in job printing or news printing.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a web infeed device with decentrally arranged connection stations, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: